44032000 - TAFDC Grant Payments

Account

Description

FY2010Spending

FY2011GAA

4403-2000

TAFDC Grant Payments For a program of transitional aid to families with dependent children; provided, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, benefits under the program of transitional aid to families with dependent children shall be paid only to citizens of the United States and to non-citizens for whom federal funds may be used to provide benefits; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law or any provisions of this act to the contrary, no benefit under this item shall be made available to illegal or undocumented aliens; provided further, that the need standard shall be equal to the standard in effect in fiscal year 2010 unless the department determines that a reduction in the monthly payment standard should be implemented before the end of the fiscal year to keep program expenditures within the amounts appropriated in this item; provided further, that the payment standard shall be equal to the need standard; provided further, that the payment standard for families who do not qualify for an exempt category of assistance under subsection (e) of section 110 of chapter 5 of the acts of 1995, or any successor statute, shall be 2.75 per cent below the otherwise applicable payment standard, in fiscal year 2011, pursuant to the state plan required under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996; provided further, that the department shall notify parents under the age of 20 receiving benefits from the program of the requirements found in clause (2) of subsection (i) of said section 110 of said chapter 5 of the acts of 1995, or any successor statute; provided further, that a $40 per month rent allowance shall be paid to all households incurring a rent or mortgage expense and not residing in public housing or subsidized housing; provided further, that a nonrecurring children's clothing allowance in the amount of $150 shall be provided to each child eligible under this program in September 2010; provided further, that the children's clothing allowance shall be included in the standard of need for the month of September 2010; provided further, that benefits under this program shall not be available to those families in which a child has been removed from the household pursuant to a court order after a care and protection hearing under chapter 119 of the General Laws, nor to adult recipients otherwise eligible for transitional aid to families with dependent children but for the temporary removal of the dependent child or children from the home by the department of children and families in accordance with department procedures; provided further, that notwithstanding section 2 of chapter 118 of the General Laws, or any other general or special law to the contrary, the department shall render aid to pregnant women with no other eligible dependent children only if it has been medically verified that the child is expected to be born within the month the payments are to be made or within the 3 month period after the month of payment, and who, if the child had been born and was living with such woman in the month of payment would be categorically and financially eligible for transitional aid to families with dependent children benefits; provided further, that certain families that suffer a reduction in benefits due to a loss of earned income and participation in retrospective budgeting may receive a supplemental benefit to compensate them for the loss; provided further, that the department shall review its disability standards to determine the extent to which they reflect the current medical and vocational criteria and report on the proposed revisions by December 1, 2010, to the house and senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee on children, families and persons with disabilities on the results of that review before any changes to the standards are proposed; provided further, that no funds from this item shall be expended by the department for child care or transportation services for the employment and training program; provided further, that no funds from this item shall be expended by the department for family reunification benefits or informal child care; provided further, that the department shall provide oral and written notification to all recipients of their child care benefits at the time of application and on a semi-annual basis; provided further, that the notification shall include the full range of child care options available, including center-based child care, family-based child care and in-home relative child care; provided further, that the notification shall detail available child care benefits for current and former recipients, including employment and training benefits and transitional benefits; provided further, that the notice shall further advise recipients of the availability of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits; provided further, that in promulgating, amending or rescinding its regulations with respect to eligibility for, or levels of benefits under the program, the department shall take into account the amounts available to it for expenditure by this item so as not to exceed the appropriation; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, 90 days before promulgating any eligibility or benefit changes, the commissioner shall file with the house and senate committees on ways and means and with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives a detailed and comprehensive report setting forth the text of, basis, and reasons for the proposed changes; provided further, that the report shall state exactly which components of the current benefit package shall be altered, and the department's assessment of the effects of such benefit or eligibility changes upon recipient families and the number of families affected by the benefit changes; provided further, the report shall outline all steps that the department has taken to avoid or mitigate any such benefit changes; provided further, the report shall detail the savings realized by any such changes to benefits or eligibility; and provided further that no benefit changes shall go into effect prior to January 17, 2011

General Fund 99.684%

FMAP Budget Relief Fund 0.316%

313,399,574

315,165,899

Veto Explanation:
I am vetoing this language and reducing this amount because none of the enhanced FMAP funds have been received from or committed by the federal government.